12 volt battery suggestions

[Little Al]

I know I've heard/read about the various batteries available but need to be refreshed on what to buy.

so what's the one to buy?
what about those ones' I see on ebay? gel or not?

I'm running points, if that matters for a suggestion, '54 FL

12 volt
fit in bag
reasonable price

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Motorcycle-Parts-Accessories__Gel-battery-12-volt-Panhead-Knucklehead-stock-oil-tank_W0QQitemZ220377079751QQadiZ2863QQadnZMotorcycleQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item220377079751&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A2|39%3A1|240%3A1318

[CraigArizona85248]

About 4 years ago I switch from the little 12v/5amp lead-acid battery to a YUASA YTZ14S (12v/12amp) sealed AGM battery.  That battery cost me $75.  It lasted 3 years where the 12v/5amp batteries only lasted about a year.  It was worth the extra expense.  No acid overflow with an AGM battery.  BUT... last year I had to replace my battery and the price had gone from $75 to anywhere from $150-$225 buying it online!  OUCH!  That price was for the YUASA branded battery.  So I found a off-branded equivalent battery for $70 and bought that instead.  Been running it a year so far and it's doing great.  Heat kills batteries and I ride year round everyday... and it get HOT here.  Wrapped up in that oil tank has to be torcher for a battery.  So I figure 3 years is doing pretty well.

This battery has to be set on it's end in order to fit in the oil tank.  I just made up a wiring harness that I attach to the battery and install it.  The wiring harness has a quick disconnect for (+) and (-) that makes it easy to disconnect if needed.



Here is where I bought my last battery:  http://www.batterymart.com/p-YTZ14S-BS-AGM-Maintenance-Free-Battery.html

-Craig

[Little Al]

Upon a bit of investigation I found some recommendations for this one too, anybody here try this one? A couple of guys are running them in 12V Pans and recommend them highly. claim they last 3-4 seasons and the price is pretty good.

dimensions are L 1.94" W 3.90" H 3.98" and it's totally sealed so can and does work in any position. they say the terminal is the only weird part but they've. like you Craig, made up quick disconnects to work and to make it easy & quick to take it in and out.

http://www.batteriesplus.com/p-32620-werker-12v-12ah-agm-battery-with-250-terminal.aspx

and I agree, the heat inside that oil bag has GOT to be the killer!

[Pynzo]

Before I went to the Magneto no battery setup I used the 12N5.5A batterys in the extension box with original battery top (although you've got to modify the top to clear the terminals). Acid spills wrecked my chrome oil bag and battery tray. If that little battery can be used on it's side, it looks like a winner! Yo Craig! Where in AZ do you live? I used to live in Wickenburg and man it was too hot to ride in the daytime! A 20 mile ride left me feeling like a raisin!

[Erichill]

For Craig and others.  This is just an FYI, but all these batteries are being made by one company in China. My friend has the excellent job of selling their batteries worldwide. The same batteries get different labels and packaging. Sells to HD, Napa, Aoto Zone, Sears, Interstate, and a whole lot  of others.  I always knew this happens with products, but I was suprised at how many different labels were on same battery. 21 labels in US alone! Same company, same quality of battery.  Amazing what we pay for names huh? So that HD battery is no better than Auto Zone or Yamaha.
Eric
P.S. Not wanting to start a controversy or anything, just an observation that amazed me when I found out how many were the same

[CraigArizona85248]

That Werker battery looks interesting.  Once you set it on it's end the terminals will be up at the top (unlike mine, where on terminal ends up at the bottom of the battery box.  I'd give it a shot for $45.

Eric, I noticed when I got my new off-brand battery, that it was identical to the YUASA.  Casting marks in the plastic were all in the same places.  I suspected that they had been made in the same place.

Pynzo, I'm located in Chandler (Southeast side of the Phoenix metro area).  I've gone through 10 summers now without a car so I'm pretty used to the heat.  But I don't care how much you ride in it... 50 miles in 115F temps will cook you good!  If I stop for gas on the way home in the summer, I can feel how tight the panhead motor has gotten from the heat when I go to kick it.  I do all my pleasure riding in the summer between 4am and 9am.   

-Craig

[Little Al]

The have a store for that battery 17 miles from my house. Think I'm gonna run over tomorrow morning. For $45 even if I get one season out of it no big deal. I'll be the "tester" on this battery for all of use here. Even if i don't get over there tomorrow, I will soon, damn, their even open Sunday 12-5. I called them, they have 6 in stock, say it's a pretty popular battery.

Eric, you're right, there are tons of products made by the same manufacturer for many companies. Lots of time the unit IS identical, but there are also many times the manufacturer produces what may look like the same unit for different companies but they actually build to the companies specs. a good example that I know to be true is household dishwashers (actually its VERY common with appliances). One company makes them for almost 100 different companies to be sold under their brand name. There might be 80 that are identical except for a few cosmetic differences, but in those last 20 one company might order them made with a 2 amp stronger motor, another might want a stainless steel pump impeller, etc. you get the idea. Same manufacturer, built to order off a basic model, to the specs or "offered options" of the purchasing company. This is good in one respect, the volume and manufacturing machines & workers are consistent which means lower prices. the other side of that sword is if the manufacturer has poor quality control, ALL brands and models suffer. we see this on bikes all the time too, Showa, for example, probably makes close to 90% of all forks for all bike brands, belts for belt drives (gates), etc.

wow, way off the track, lol

Gonna buy that battery, I'll report back, with pics installed and the terminals, once I got it in my hands

[MBSKEAM]

http://www.hydra-glide.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5114

45.00

I did read about the batterys just a few weeks back...same place, different brands...
way different prices...LOL

just like contract packaging... same bakery, diffrent labels on the bread same bread inside....
ya pay for a name.....
5.00 a loaf or 1.00.... same bread....
what to buy....hhhmmm

mbskeam

[Little Al]

Well I got the battery, looks like a nice unit. fits with plenty of room to spare in the oil bag. once you take the plastic caps off the terminals I slipped on standard females. once I start running it I'll report back

[CraigArizona85248]

Little Al,

Looks good!  You'll want to take some sort of spacer material (I used some 2x4 blocks painted black) and bring the battery up to standard height.  That way you can use the OEM battery cover which will hold the batter securly in place.  I don't think you'd want the battery rattling around unrestrained in the oil tank.  You could damage the plastic case (leading to a leak of acid) and or break the battery plates.  Just a thought.

Here is a photo of my battery and the blocks of wood I used.  Looks like a piece of 2x4 and a piece of 1x4 screwed together.  This is before I painted them black.

[Pzokes]

Little Al,
It looks like you can put the wood blocks on top of this new battery and cut them to fit under the OEM cover.

[Little Al]

yep, gonna put wood block on the battery tray then the battery to raise it up high enough to use the battery cover to hold it all secure.

[CraigArizona85248]

I took Pzokes method.  I put the battery in the oil tank first, then put the wood blocks on top of the battery and secured it all with the battery cover.

-Craig

[Pzokes]

The reason that I think that putting the battery in the tray first is best, is because the battery is heavier than the 2X4's and might vibrate more if it was on top of the wood.  I realize that these new batteries are "glass mat" technology, and are less subject to vibration than the old style batteries.  Also on most of these new batteries you have to cut the top cover for the battery wires if you put it on top of the wood.

[Pynzo]

Al-
How's the battery this season? Are you healed up enough to start your Pan?

[fourthgear]

Here's who makes HD batteries ,http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/ , I have the EXT9 in one of my Pan's ,the 65 has one ,I will have to look to see what Deka it has in it ,its for a super glide, cause that's the way my 65 is set up.
The Deka's are made in Pa.,USA.
I got five years off the last EXT9 & it was my fault I did not get longer (only intermittently put the Batt.Tender on it ,I have them on 24/7 on both now)

[4DWUDS]

Craig, Have you ever though about mounting a small computer type fan in the battery box to help circulate some cool air into the box, Maybe in the bottom pulling air up through the holes in the tray and surrounding area. Just a thought.

[CraigArizona85248]

It's not worth the trouble Patrick.  Those computer fans are lucky to last through one good rain.  They just don't like the moisture.  I'm still running strong on my second YTZ14S AGM battery.  The first one lasted about 3 years and the one that is in there now (the "no brand" cheap-o) seems to be lasting even better then the first.  The first one started letting the lights dim at idle after only a couple years.  The current battery has been in there 2 years now and no signs of the lights dimming at idle.

-Craig

[4DWUDS]

Craig, We live in Arizona, what's this RAIN stuff you speak of.

[CraigArizona85248]

It's that weird stuff that falls from the sky and soaks me to the bone on the way to work in the morning... just like last Wednesday morning.  I smelled like a wet dog for half the day.  Keeps people from bothering me at work though.   

[twincamzz]

Upon a bit of investigation I found some recommendations for this one too, anybody here try this one? A couple of guys are running them in 12V Pans and recommend them highly. claim they last 3-4 seasons and the price is pretty good.

dimensions are L 1.94" W 3.90" H 3.98" and it's totally sealed so can and does work in any position. they say the terminal is the only weird part but they've. like you Craig, made up quick disconnects to work and to make it easy & quick to take it in and out.

http://www.batteriesplus.com/p-32620-werker-12v-12ah-agm-battery-with-250-terminal.aspx

and I agree, the heat inside that oil bag has GOT to be the killer!

Little Al, I am using a battery from battery plus that looks alot like the one you got. I cut some pieces of rubber from a ergo-mat I had laying around to make a cushion for the battery to sit on that brought it up to the original height. Then I added another piece of rubber for a top cushion, under the original battery cover. Once installed you have to look really close to see the modifcation. 

[4DWUDS]

OH, you mean Liquid Sunshine.  Still seems to me that there has to be a small enough, waterproof and durable fan that could fit in that area. Don't know how much good it would do, but then you could have a "Fanhead". on your Panhead. 

[Pzokes]

Maybe one of those small 12v computer box fans that was previously suggested.  We need a volunteer.

[Little Al]

Pynzo, funny you should ask, I've been riding about 2 weeks and just fired up the Pan from her winter nap last weekend. I didn't do a damn thing with the battery except take it inside for the winter. no charging, no nothing. I do NOT believe in using trickle chargers and on my bikes (all except the Pan using OEM HD batteries) i have never gotten less then 5 years from them. if i don't ride a particular bike in the winter I just take the battery into my kitchen. I usually do charge it at 2 amps overnight before I put it back in, but did nothing on the Pan battery and she fired right up. even the headlight was nice & bright before i started her.

[Pynzo]

Sweet!  I was thinking about picking one up for my new ride and wanted to know how it was holding up. Glad you're feeling better!